Now you no longer have to worry about having your paper passport with you at a brewery. Instead, your passport will be with you on something you carry with you everywhere every day: your phone.

The Breweries section of the Brewsader app allows you to check-in at each brewery, rather than collect paper stamps.
Photo courtesy of: Experience Grand Rapids

Getting Started with the App

Start by heading over to your mobile device’s app store to search and download the Beer City Brewsader app. The app lists all the participating breweries in the program. If you have your location turned on, the app can even tell you what breweries are nearby. You can also tap the map graphic at the top right corner of the app to see a map of all the breweries.

Instead of collecting paper stamps at each brewery you visit, you’ll use the app’s check in features. Select the brewery you’re visiting and tap the Check In button. From there, enter the passcode you get from your server, then tap the GPS Check In button to verify your location.

Converting Paper Passport Stamps

The app also has a way for you to convert your paper stamps into the app, in case you’ve been making your way through Beer City USA with a paper passport and you’d like to go digital. Just tap Breweries, select the brewery whose stamp you want to transfer, click the Check In button, then select the Image Check In and take a picture of your paper passport stamp of that brewery. Give the app a few days to approve the image, and next thing you know, you’ll be one stamp closer to Brewsader or Ultimate status.

Becoming a Brewsader or Ultimate Brewsader with the App

Just like with the paper passport, once you’ve visited eight breweries, you’ve earned Brewsader status and t-shirt to commemorate your adventures. The app will ask you to fill out a survey first. Once you’ve completed that, you can either ask Experience Grand Rapids to mail you a t-shirt, or you can stop by the Welcome Center at the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) to collect your shirt in person.

Likewise, to become an Ultimate Brewsader, visit all of the breweries within the app and you’re eligible for a wallet card that’s your ticket to special deals and perks at participating breweries. You can also check out the More section in the app to see what those rotating perks are. You can get your Ultimate Brewsader card after completing the online survey and visiting the GRAM or having Experience Grand Rapids mail it to you.

Exploring Other Cool App Features

The app is full of other good pieces of information to enhance your experience. The app makes it easy to find transportation, whether that’s a beer tour guide or a designated driver. Click into the Get Around section to explore options.

Use the Get Around section of the Brewsader app to explore transportation options.
Photo credit: Experience Grand Rapids

You can take notes on the beers you tried and the dishes you paired with them in the Beer Notes section of each brewery. Each brewery’s page also connects with its social media pages, allowing you to engage with each brewery you visit on social media.

Use the My List section keep track of the breweries and events you want to visit in the future.

Of course, the best way to learn about the app is to download it and start using it to explore Grand Rapids’ beer scene. Have you used the Brewsader app? Let us know in the comments below.